


headfirst into shallow pools

by MidnightBlueMoon, shelton-devers (MidnightBlueMoon)



Series: Jeronica Week Summer 2018 [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Episode: s02e14 Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Hills Have Eyes, F/M, Kissing, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, The Pool Scene (Riverdale), The Pool Scene Re-Imagined
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 11:10:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15817692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightBlueMoon/pseuds/MidnightBlueMoon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightBlueMoon/pseuds/shelton-devers
Summary: Jughead Jones doesn't believe in soulmates. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t matter to him when Betty’s name doesn’t appear on his skin. He knows he is in love with her, so why should it matter if this weird cosmic thing means they belong together?





	headfirst into shallow pools

**Author's Note:**

> I'm changing the Soulmate Trope to fit my needs here.  
> Here's my take: Soulmates do have tattoos, but those tattoos only appear when they first kiss. 
> 
> Written for _Jeronica Week - Day One: Soulmates._

Jughead Jones does not believe in soulmates. Reggie had once been teasing him about it, and when Jughead had snapped, he had said: “The ink appearing on your skin does not promise happiness or love or a good future, Reggie. And if you believe otherwise, you’re a goddamn fool.”

Maybe that’s why it doesn’t matter to him when Betty’s name doesn’t appear when he kisses her. He knows he is in love with her, so why should it matter if this weird cosmic thing means they belong together? Jughead does not believe in fate or _meant-to-be_ , but he doesn’t tell Betty so – because he knows she somehow does. Not in a way that it means they need to break up, but in the way that it means he probably is not The One for her. Jughead does not blame her.

It still hurts when she confesses to kissing Archie.

Not because Betty did kiss him – he gets it, the adrenaline rush and maybe the underlying need to _know_ if maybe he was the one – but because she didn’t tell him. Jughead does not like being lied to, so when Veronica proposes the ridiculous idea of them kissing, Jughead doesn’t cut her off.

He thinks about it for a moment – It’s a stupid idea, but the vehemence Archie uses to argue against it, pushes a button in his head.

“Wait a minute. I don’t know. Hold on. Veronica and I, kissing? Might help to, uh- what’s the-? What’s the sports term, Archie?”

He knows he shouldn’t drag his friend this much into it, but he feels compelled to do so. Seeing Archie grit his teeth is worth it. “…level the playing field?”

When Archie says “Betty, a little help here?”, Jughead feels sorry for a moment – he doesn’t want to hurt Betty, but she doesn’t look half as hurt or confused as Archie. She looks unsure and wary, though. “You're not upset though?”

Jughead shakes his head. “No.” Seeing the doubt on Betty’s face, he repeats his words. “No, really, I'm not upset.”

He’s telling the truth, he realizes. He’s not upset, but this chance to pay Archie back? He feels like he’s not doing something wrong here. It’s a difficult feeling, a mix between possessiveness over Betty, rivalry for Archie, and amusement at the chaotic situation.

Somehow, his voice seems to convince Betty. A little at least. “Right”, she says, her eyebrows still crawling up her forehead.

Jughead shrugs. “But I'm human. What if a future me tries to use your kiss with Archie against some future you?” He looks at them all and feels a little like a politician trying to sell something to the people. “A Vughead kiss, right now, in the present – it might be precisely what it takes to save a future Bughead from imploding.” Betty looks doubtful, Archie somewhere between angry and irritated, and Veronica looks smug and fake-innocent while sucking on her straw.

Jughead plays the last card up his sleeve. “Archie, come on, man. It's just a stupid kiss.” Archie meets his eyes, his teeth grinding. Jughead can’t help but poke the bear. “Right?”

Jughead knows he just convinced them to have Veronica kiss him, but when she stands up and slides into his personal space, he can’t help but feel overwhelmed at what she is about to do. Her words do _nothing_ to calm him down. “Jughead.”

Her hands slide up his shoulders to his neck, taking hold of him. She’s speaking, but Jughead doesn’t feel convinced that it’s helping. “Don't freak out. Just trust me.” Jughead wants to laugh at that because this has _nothing_ to do with trust, but then her mouth is on his and he’s clinging to the edge of the pool. At first, his eyes are open, smugly taking in Archie’s facial expression. But then his eyes slide closed, Veronica’s fingers threading through his hair. It’s not a long kiss – maybe a few seconds, but it leaves his entire body tingling. Only when Veronica takes a step back, Jughead realizes that it’s not a normal sensation. The tingling concentrates on his left hip, his skin burning up. Jughead looks down, and there is black ink poking out from his swimming trunks. _Oh no_. Jughead doesn’t have to pull them down to know what is inked into his skin – he doesn’t want to. But even this way, he can read the last name. _Lodge_. 

Looking up again, he finds them all staring at him. Him and Veronica, to be honest. Archie’s jaw looks like it’s about to drop and Betty’s eyes are full of an emotion Jughead can’t place. Veronica is still smirking, her eyes showing no sign of the inner struggle Jughead is feeling. She pats his cheek before she turns around to go back to Archie. Turning her back to Jughead, he can’t help but notice it – there is black ink on her skin, and Jughead knows it wasn’t there before. It curves over her rips on the right side, half-hidden by her bathing suit. It just reads _F. P._ , but that’s enough. It’s enough.

Jughead doesn’t believe in soulmates. He doesn’t believe in fate, he doesn’t believe in meant-to-be, he doesn’t believe in the one true love. He wants to believe that _this_ doesn’t change anything, that it doesn’t matter, but he can feel that that’s not true. But right now, it seems like he is the only one aware of the marks. He doesn’t doubt Veronica will find hers. He doesn’t doubt _Archie_ will find it. But he really doesn’t want to do this now, doesn’t want to consider how this might end. So he just smiles, and says: “And that’s that, I guess.” 

And if he pulls up his pants just a little to make sure no-one sees just before he sits down, then that’s nobody’s business but his. For now.

**Author's Note:**

> The title is a line taken from Paramore's _Pool_.
> 
> My best friend was a major help in writing this, but I can't tag her because she doesn't have ao3 or Tumblr. Well. Shoutout to her, tho - you're the best. ♥


End file.
